This short film re-tells the story of the birth of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of a shepherd. Whilst the story itself is fiction – imagining what this shepherd would have been thinking and what he might have done – it serves as a wonderfully emotive backdrop to the biblical story we all know so well. In fact, through the exercise of imagining how the life of this simple shepherd might have become intertwined with that of Jesus, we are able to see the classic story with fresh perspective. The details, such as the lamb of the shepherd being a clear comparison to the promised unblemished Lamb, the long awaited-for Messiah, also add to the power of the piece.
It is very well directed and written by Dallas Jenkins and the acting feels authentic, rather than forced – drawing us into the lives that we are following on screen. Some Christian films can feel overtly preachy or lacking in quality, but this programme – and the series “The Chosen”, which is spawned, depicting the life of Jesus – has been produced to a high quality.
Overall, it leaves us with a deeper appreciation of this defining moment in our Christian faith, as well as leaving us to imagine how Jesus coming might been transformative for those around him at that time. I highly recommend a viewing over the Christmas period!